Coil whine- which one?

[Serath62]

Before I go into the problem, I'll post my rig.

i7 860 (2.8ghz, NO OC)
G.Skill 8gb DDR3 1600mhz
ASUS P7P55D PRO
EVGA GTX 570 HD
Antec HX850W PSU

The GTX 570 is my newest upgrade (Yes I know my CPU might serve as a bit of a bottleneck, nevermind that) and I have no issues with it on a graphical basis. It can run Skyrim no problem and I am not seeing anything in gameplay that would indicate a problem.

However, I am getting some nasty *** coil whine. I can note it most when I first start up Skyrim (video below), and when Im in game (this is any game) there is a "buzz". From what I've determined this is either coil whine or something else entirely, however it is not a fan issue.

I have tested the GTX 570 in FurMark and there is a noticeable buzz (This is with the case panel off) I can hear each time the stress test "pulses"- however we tested the same card with the same software in a different system and heard nothing. I do not suspect this is a faulty card.

The only other things I can think off is either the mobo, or the PSU. The mobo I got in December 2009, while the PSU I got in early September 2011. Given by age I'd say it's the mobo but I have no definitive way of telling. Unfortunately I dont have either a spare mobo lying around, and my old PSU is not capable of running the 570.

Is there anything I could be overlooking, or any stress software I can run? I should also note we did a CPU stress test, that yielded no results either.

Anyone's help in this is greatly appreciated

VIDEO:

Listen with headphones if you can.

 

[redduc900]

I assume you've already tried disabling the C-States (Intel C-STATE Tech) and / or C1E Support options on the Advanced page of the BIOS?

 

[Serath62]

I assume you've already tried disabling the C-States (Intel C-STATE Tech) and / or C1E Support options on the Advanced page of the BIOS?

I... have not. I didnt think a BIOS issue could cause something like this. Would disabling either of these have any other negative repercussions?

 

[Serath62]

Just applied the settings, unfortunately it did not fix it. Is there any software I can use to stress my mobo and psu? I feel this is just going to be a process of elimination problem.

 

[redduc900]

See if this thread in the Corsair forums is of any help to you...

Noisy PSU? Read this first!
http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=85166

 

[Serath62]

I have determined this is not a PSU issue, as we tested my rig with a different PSU and the issue persisted. I should also mention this appears to be happening to a small degree with my old GTX 260, but hardly noticeable when the panel is closed.

Does anyone know anything else I could be overlooking before I start looking at new mobo's?

 

[Diggrr]

I've used a pencil before to find a noisy coil. Wrap the metal band with a little tape so as not to accidentally short anything, and press the eraser to each coil one by one until you've found the offender.

I simply replaced the mobo after proving it to be the culprit, but I've heard of others using hot glue to silence the coil, like they do at the factory with some power supplies.
That's up to you. I won't recommend either way, just saying what I've seen done...

Good Luck, and to the forums!

 

[Serath62]

Diggrr,

First of all, thank you for the welcome . I feel rather green with the hardware side of things, so the help is truly appreciated.

Secondly, that's an absolutely brilliant idea I had never thought of. I'll most likely, however, is use a mechanical pencil just to be on the safe side. I'm also going to run a secondary test of my card in a friends rig to make sure this isnt something with the card Im overlooking.

 

[Serath62]

See if this thread in the Corsair forums is of any help to you...

Noisy PSU? Read this first!
http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=85166

The issue with v-sync actually fixed the "hiss" you hear at the start when I first fire up Skyrim, so thank you!

Now all that's left is the actual coil whine while in game.